Major Norwegian retailer suspends sale
of Israeli cosmetic company products in 160 stores over their 'originating from
settlements in occupied territories'
Meirav Crystal

Published:
04.01.12, 13:40 / Israel Business
Norwegian pharmaceutical retail chain VITA announced on Friday that the
company will cease "all sales of products originating from settlements in
occupied territories," such as the Israeli cosmetic brand Ahava.
VITA's CEO Roar Arnstad explained the company's decision by saying that the
settlement in which the products are manufactured in, was "established in
violation of international law" according to the International Court of Justice
in Hague."We consider it difficult to buy goods from the occupied area from the 1967
war and will from this date suspend the purchase of goods from the occupied
territory," said Vita CEO Roar Arnstad.
According to the Norwegian People’s Aid and the Norwegian Union of Municipal
and General Employees, Ahava's production
of beauty products takes place in the Mitzpe Shalem settlement and the company
is owned by settlers.
In response to VITA's boycott on the Israeli beauty company, a group of pro-Israel Norwegians created a Facebook page calling on the public to
boycott VITA's 160 stores in Norway.